General
More renowned for its sport climbing, Tung Lung is unlikely to ever become a focal point or hub for bouldering. However, the island does include several spots and opportunities for pebble wrestlers to get their fix too with the base of Tech Wall including several testing traverses and a couple of classic ‘up’ problems and Pirates Bay (if dry and free of sea trash) offering some steep gym-style problems too.
Access
All areas are accessed from the second ferry pier (see main Tung Lung pages for details).
From the pier, continue along the path and either
i) break off at the beach and contour this (scrambling over some rocks) to reach the Cave;
ii) continue to (and then through) the Holiday Store and take the path out the back of this, breaking off right to scramble down a dirt trail to the pebble beach to reach Pirates Bay (Note: This area gets cut off from the beach at high tide); or
iii) continue further along the path to the campsite before scrambling around the right side of the headland to reach Tech Wall.
Blocs
The Cave
The small cave at the northeast end of the beach by the ferry pier looks to have some potential for bouldering and also has one bolted route up it. As far as we know, nothing significant has been tried/established in this area yet though.
The Pirates Bay
Located in the small bay behind The Holiday Store is a small cave offering gym style climbing. Get to the Holiday Store from the ferry pier and then walk through this (stopping for coffee and dumplings to keep them in business please – these guys have been super friendly to the climbing community for decades), past the toilets and along the path out the back of the store. Shortly after the store break off right and follow the steep trail down to the pebble beach. Traverse the left side of this the bay to reach the cave.
This approach is only possible (if you intend to stay dry) when the tide is less than about 1.5 m and the swell is smaller than 2-3 ft. Access gets cut off when the tide is higher or the swell is bigger. During these times it is possible to approach via a slightly sketchy scramble (especially with pads) from the other side of the cave, accessed by walking over the small hill and then doubling back along the rocky coastline.
1) Long John Silver (sds) * V2
Sit start on the low rounded boss. Move up to the ledge above before continuing using smaller crimps to eventually gain the ledge slightly to the right. Make one more move up left to the higher ledge before carefully down climbing.
2) Captain Hook (sds) ** V1
Start on the next rounded ledge. Move up to positive jugs before searching for slightly poorer holds over the lip. Move up and right to a better hold, match this and then drop off.
3) One-Eyed Willie (sds) ** V2
A slightly steeper and more engaging proposition than the previous lines. Start low down on juggy side pulls. From these, work your way through the stepped roofs above to eventually gain a high ledge. Match this and then down climb / drop to descend.
4) Captain Pugwash (sds) ** V1
Sit start at the low rounded jug. Pull up to the jug above and then move to a slightly poorer hold just over the lip. Make one more move up and right to the break, match on this and then drop off.
5) The Transverse (sds) ** V2
Sit start at the low rounded jug way of to the left of the cave. Make a fun low-level traverse to gain the start hold on No War. If you’re still feeling fresh then why not add in No War too – or go full on beast mode and try and link it all the way across to end on Black Corsair!
6) No War (sds) *** V6
Start on the small ledge to the left of the cave. Work your way right from this via a technical and powerful traverse that will eventually bring you to join, and finish up, Torrent Hound.
7) Il Pirata (sds) ** V6
Start at an undercut/pinch block with left and good slot with right. Make powerful modes up from these using a combination of side pulls out left and gastons out right to eventually finish matched on a flat ledge above the lip of the roof.
8) Across the Seven Seas (sds) ** V6
Start as for Il Pirata and make a series of extremely powerful moves diagonally right across the wall to join Torrent Hound just beneath the lip of the cave. Finish as for Torrent Hound.
9) Torrent Hound (sds) ** V3
Sit start at a side pull and small crimp directly beneath a positive jug. Pull up from these to the jug before trusting holds in the slopey shelf just beneath the lip to let you gain a sloping ledge on the right side of the small groove. From here reach right to finish in the letter box slot at the top of The Pirate Bay
10) The Pirate Bay (sds) *** V2
Sit start at the large slopey ledge at the deepest point of the cave. From here follow a line of positive holds out through the roof to eventually gain the large letter box slot above the lip. Drop off from this.
11) Putin’s Tiny Penis (sds) *** V6
Unlike its namesake, this beast has the potential to keep you entertained for hours. Start matched in the low slot. Pull through the various breaks above until a hard move gains the lip of the main roof. Make further big moves to gain the next lip before reaching out right to eventually gain the main break. Drop off from here.
12) Pirate Bay Extension *** V3
A long right to left extension traverse in to The Pirate Bay, starting from a positive slot near the right end of the roof.
13) The Black Corsair ** V7
Starting form the same slot as Pirate Bay Ext, this time tackle the stepped roof directly above via a tricky sequence of crimps and side pulls. Unlike most other lines, don’t stop at the lip but continue up the wall above to gain positive holds in the high break above. Down climb from here.
14) Jack Sparrow (sds) *** V2
Sit start using a low undercut block with the left and high crimp with the right. From these, work your way right along the sloping shelf to a good jug. Launch up and right from this (be careful of the loose block at the lip) and then reach left to finish matched on the sloping shelf.
15) Walk The Plank (sds) *** V7
Sit start with opposing side pulls under the right side of the roof. Make a technical traverse left from these to eventually join The Black Corsair just beneath the lip of the roof. Finish as for that line.
16) Jack Sparrow Ext (sds) *** V3
Start as for Walk the Plank and link this to Jack Sparrow for a few extra moves of fun on that line.
Technical Wall
Hong Kong’s premiere sport climbing crag also has a limited amount of fun and games to offer the pebble wrestler too, mostly in the form of traverses along the base of the crag but with a few short ‘up’ problems in the area beneath Wonderful Souvenir too.
